Listing attachment for telephones



G.,A. HIGBEE LISTING ATTACHMENT FOR TELEPHONES Jan9 1,194?,

Filed Jan. 1'7, 1944 Simcnfor Gtforn Jan. 21, 1947,. ,6.11. HIGBEE.' 2,414,597

v LISTING ATTACHMENT T'OR TELEPHONES Filed Jan. 17, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Juventor G'Ierszn A.

attorney Patented Jan. 21, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,414,597 LISTING. ATTACHMENT FOR. TELEPHONES. Glenn A. Higbee, Detroit, Mich. Application Januaryl7, 1944, Serial No. 518,671

6 Claims. l

This invention relates to a listing of` phone numbers and particularly to listing attachments for telephones.

object of the invention is to equip a telephone with a number listing attachment that may be instantly appliediand removed with no manipulation of fastening devices, and will be substantially concealed when not in use.

Another ob'ect is to provide a compact telephone number listing device of a. rolled strip type, and equip such device with a simple spring means for retaining it in proper operative position onthe stand of a telephone.

AV further object is to adapt a rolled numberlisting strip to be inserted and removably retained in the rearwardly opening recess now commonly provided in cradle type telephone stands, beneath their cradles, thus providing for very convenient and easy reference to the strip by extending it upwardly from its roller.

A further object is to install a number listing strip on aV roller journaled in a frame proportionedto fit in said rearwardly opening recess of a cradle type stand and to retain the frame in therecessby aspring finger or the like adapted` to engage a shoulder which is a standard feature of said recess.

Other objects are to adapt said frame to 1irnit retractive travel of the strip, to so guide the strip that it will wind and unwind evenly on and from the roller, and to adapt the frame to be completely formed as a single sheet metal stampmg. l

These and various other objects are attained by the construction hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a rear view ci the upper portion or a cradle type phone stand showing the listing attachment applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a Vertical sectional view of the same, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing in dash lines an extended portion of the listing strip.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the listing strip with entries thereon.

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the attachment.

Fig. 5 shows the attachment in front elevation.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the attachment taken on the line tof Fig, 4.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 'l-l of Fig. 6 and showing how the strip-mounting roller is installed in the frame of the attachment.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of said roller.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a collar for mounting and driving the roller.

horizontal top face 3a extending between the `two pairs of keepers, and a recess t opening in the rear face of the stand isformed a slight distance below said top face and has a width equalinglthe distance between thepairs of keepers. This recess evidently v/as originally4 provided to facilitate lifting o f the stand by insertion of the nngers of one hand intok the recess and a rib 5 is downwardlyextended from the roof of the recess, coextensive with the rear edge cf-such roof., to aord the ngers increased retention. The pres ent invention provides uses for said recess and rib not contemplated in designing the stand, and it is believed these uses are more vital than that originally contemplated.

My attachment comprises a frame suited for production as a single sheet metal stamping and adapted to fit within and substantially ll the recess 4, with its rear portion projecting as clearly appears in Fig. 2. vertically disposed end meme bers 6 of the frame are adapted to extend along the end walls of said recess and are stiffened by. iianges 'l projecting toward each other` in the top plane of the frame. integrally connecting end members and lying substantially in the top plane of the frame, is a bar 8 defining the rear edge of the frame, such bar having -a slot extending its full length, theV front edge of the slot being upwardly curved to` form a guide lip iti. Said bar `is stiffened by a flange Il extended downwardly at the. rear margin of thebar, and asupporting leg I2 forms a further downward extension midway of the bar length. The forward portion of each end member S also carries a supporting leg I3, there being thus three legs suited to rest on the floor of the recess 4 and maintain proximity of the frame to the roof of the recess. It will be noted that the legs space the end members 6 some distance above the recess floor, this being desirable since the floor and end faces of the recess are arcuately merged as best seen in Fig. 1. To yieldably retain the frame in the recess, a forked spring detent I4 is formed as an integral rearward projection from the bar 8, said detent having an approximate U-form and lying substantially in the top plane of the frame with its free ends upwardly oiset as indicated at l5 for engagement with the rib 5. The retention thus provided securely resists accidental escape of the frame from the recess, while assuring yielding of the detent if a slight rearward pull is exerted on the frame. Each of the end members has a lug I6 forwardly projecting in the top plane of the frame to abut the front wall of the recess 4 and space the legs I3 from such wall to let them clear an upward curvature of the recess floor as it merges into such wall.

:Set into the rear portions of the frame end members are the ends of a rod I1, having at least one of its ends Squared and engaging a correspondingly shaped opening to hold the rod from rotation. Said rod may be spot Welded or soldered to the frame to further assure rigidity. Collars I8 and I9 are fitted on the rod end portions respectively in proximity to the respective end members of the frame, the collar I8 conforming to the squared end portion of the rod and hence being non-rotative, whereas the collar II9 is free to turn. A torsion spring 20 is coiled on the rod between said collars and is terminally attached to the latter. Said collars carry the ends of a tubular roller 2|, one such end being formed with a notch 22 receiving a lug 23 on the periphery of the collar I9, whereby the latter is adapted to drive the roller, responsive to the torsion spring. The roller is slotted lengthwise (Fig. 8) to form a bar 24 to which is attached the end of a strip 25 of paper or the like having spaced cross lines to receive names and corresponding phone numbers, as best seen in Fig. 3. Said strip is normally wound by the spring substantially fully on the rollerwith its outer end portion extending rearwardly and upwardly to pass through the slot 9. Above the frame the strip terminally carries a handle 26 preferably in the form of a half ring, the strip having a tab 21 passed through the ring, folded over the cross bar thereof, and pasted or glued to the body of the strip. Lugs 28 struck up from the handle at its ends form stops to seat on the lip I and thus limit retraction of the strip.

It will be noted that the end members 6 of the frame have their mid portions offset slightly toward each other as is indicated at 21S, thus adapting such portions to guide the strip in its travel so that it always winds evenly on the roller, without imposing end thrust on the latter.

Installed as described, the listing attachment is so inserted in the rear face of the stand as to be very largely concealed, avoiding detraction from the appearance of the stand. Also the described installation disposes the attachment where it cannot at all interfere with use of the telephone and where it is safeguarded from disturbance. Furthermore, the location is such as to afford convenient access tothe strip and a maximum convenience in reading the listed 4 numbers when the strip is extended. Adaptability of the attachment for ready removal from the recess is an essential feature, since it will of course be necessary to frequently add to `or subtract from the listed names and numbers.

It is to be noted finally that the attachment permits the recess 4 to still serve the purpose for which it was originally designed, since room is afforded for insertion of two fingers in the recess, one at each side of the leg I2.

What I claim is:

l. An attachment for a telephone stand intoV which a recess is extended from its rear face, said attachment comprising a frame insertable in said recess, a roller journaled in the frame, an elongated notation-receiving strip normally rolled on the roller and adapted to be extended therefrom, and means carried by the frame and yieldably bearing on a face of the recess to resist withdrawal of the frame from the recess.

2. An attachment as set forth in claim 1, the stand being formed with a rib projecting vfrom a face of the recess and said means carried by the frame to resist its withdrawal being a spring detent abutting said rib.

3. An attachment as set forth in claim 1, the stand having a rib depending from the roof of said recess and extending across the recess, and said means carried by the frame to resist its withdrawal being a detent upwardly sprung to engage said rib.

4. An attachment, as set forth in claim 1, the frame comprising end members wherein the roller is journaled and a plurality of legs adapted to elevate the end members above the recess floor.

5. An attachment as set forth in claim 1, the roller being journaled in the front portion of the frame and the rear portion of the frame comprising a guide lip over which said strip travels.

6. A telephone attachment comprising a frame formed of sheet material and having substantially parallel end portions, a roller journaled in said frame between andupon said end portions, an elongated notation-receiving strip normally rolled on the roller and adapted to be extended therefrom, and a spring element carried by the frame and engageable with the stand of a telephone to yieldably maintain a desired engagement of the frame with the stand, said end portions of the frame having areas offset toward each other to engage opposite edges of the extended strip and eliminate lateral play of the ,v strip in its travel.

GLENN A. HIGBEE. 

